Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-LedgerDevils general manager Lou Lamoriello has a list of 10 prospects that interest the team after a week of workouts in Toronto.

After a week at the NHL scouting combine in Toronto, followed by three more days in which the Devils did their own testing of draft prospects, David Conte has compiled a top 10 list.

Any one of those 10 could be the Devils’ first pick (4th overall) in the NHL entry draft beginning on June 24 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. But Conte told The Star-Ledger today that neither he nor general manager Lou Lamoriello have made the decision on which player the Devils will select.

“No. We have a generality, obviously, but you can get that out of The Hockey News,” said Conte, the Devils executive vice-president of hockey operations and director of scouting.

“If you’re picking fourth, you have to look at a pool of 10. To say you’ve made up your mind, I think that will be made up on Friday (June 24) at about 7 o’clock. I don’t think it’s necessary to make up your mind now. I could decide now and I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable doing it, but I see no reason to be definitive.”

The Devils finished 23rd overall in the NHL this season, which would’ve given them the eighth pick had they not won the draft lottery. Moving up the maximum of four spots, they’ll pick fourth overall behind Edmonton, Colorado and Florida.

That represents the Devils’ highest draft pick since 1991, when they chose Scott Niedermayer third overall.

During the interview and testing process at the Toronto Congress Center (May 29-June 4) and then three more days in which Devils scouts and management have conducted their own tests in Toronto, that No. 4 pick will come from a pool of 10.

“I can tell you honestly I do not definitively know which of that group of 10 is the preferred one,” Conte said. “I don’t know who is going to go 1-2-3, so I don’t know who will be available. I have an idea, but the teams ahead of us are in control. Edmonton is in control, then Colorado is in control and then Florida is in control. Then it’s our turn.”

Conte said the Devils could trade the fourth pick and either move up or down.

“I’m sure there is a chance. It’s a question of how much do you get and how much do you give? For sure that’s always a realistic possibility," he confirmed. “You only have to go through our history in past drafts. We’ve done it a few times.

“Is it a plan? No, not necessarily. It’s a consideration. We owe it to ourselves to investigate every opportunity.”

The NHL brought the top 102 prospects to Toronto. Among the top prospects as ranked by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau are:

But the Devils stayed after the formal event attended by scouts and management from all 30 NHL clubs.

“We’re still doing our thing,” Conte explained. “There are players they don’t invite. And even some of the players they do invite, we don’t see enough. It’s such a big, overwhelming process that it’s not really fair to the kids. When (a prospect) has 20 interviews in a day, it’s overwhelming.”

“We brought Burlon in to see where he’s at at this stage in time,” Conte said. “He was very good. He’s matured nicely over the last couple of years. He’s got a tough road ahead of him like everybody does. It’s not going to be easy for him.”

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The Devils will hold their annual draft party on June 24 on Mulberry Street and in the AmerHealth Pavilion at the Prudential Center.

For free tickets to the draft party, see the team's website at:

http://devils.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=69569&navid=DL|NJD|home

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Former Devils defenseman Dave Lewis was added to the Carolina Hurricanes' coaching staff today along with Rod Brind'Amour.

Ron Francis was named director of hockey operations and Tom Rowe was added to Carolina's pro scouting department.

Lewis, 57, was named assistant coach for the Hurricanes. He served as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings from 2002-04 and head coach of the Boston Bruins from 2006-07, compiling an NHL career coaching record of 135-83-33 (includes five games as co-coach with Detroit in 1998-99).

Lewis’ most recent NHL coaching position was with the Los Angeles Kings, where he served as an assistant coach in 2007-08. He played 15 NHL seasons between 1973 and 1988, totaling 36 goals and 187 assists (223 points) in 1,008 games as a defenseman with the Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Devils and Detroit Red Wings.